Walter Bricht

Walter Bricht (September 9, 1904 – March 20, 1970) was a noted Austrian-American pianist, composer and teacher.

Born in Vienna, Bricht was exposed to multiple musical influences from his youth. His father, Balduin Bricht, was a music critic for the Volkszeitung, a newspaper in Vienna. His mother, Agnes Pylleman Bricht was a concert singer and pianist, and became his first teacher. His talent was recognized early on. Bricht received his first piano lesson at age four, and began composing piano pieces and songs by age twelve. He was educated at the Vienna Academy for Music, graduating in 1928 with degrees in composition, conducting and piano. Bricht was a student of famed composer Franz Schmidt.

Upon the completion of his education at the Vienna Academy, Bricht taught at the Vienna Volkskonservatorium from 1931 to 1938. From 1934 to 1938, he also taught voice, piano, and composition at the Horak-Schulen in Vienna. As a composer, he was prolific during this period, writing the majority of his works, and hearing many of them publicly performed. In 1938, Bricht was forced to leave Austria, because the Nazi regime had discovered that he had Jewish-born grandparents. He was offered "honorary Aryan status" by Adolf Hitler, providing he would swear allegiance to the Nazi party, but instead chose to emigrate to the United States of America. All of his important papers and letters of recommendation were confiscated at the border, and he arrived in the U.S. not speaking a word of English.

Upon his arrival in the U.S., Bricht settled in New York City, earning a living by serving as church organist, accompanying and coaching. In 1939, Bricht joined the faculty of the Mason College of Music in Charleston, West Virginia, becoming chairman of the music department the following year. He met his future wife, Donna Kuhn after hiring her as a professor of violin. Bricht returned to New York in 1944, teaching and coaching there until 1963. He also made regular trips to Washington D.C., to teach members of the U.S. Army Chorus. Two daughters were born to the Brichts during this period, Dana Eve (1955), and Wendy Diane (1959).

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